NiMET SET TO BEGIN STRIKE ON MONDAY OVER UNPAID ARREARS
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Workers at the Nigeria Meteorology Agency have been told to go on strike starting on Monday, May 20, 2024, by aviation unions, which include the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations and Technical and Recreational Employees, the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, and the National Union of Air Transport Employees of Nigeria.
This information was revealed in a letter our correspondent received on Wednesday, dated May 14, 2024.
The management’s reluctance to address 45 months’ worth of unpaid minimum wage arrears and the ensuing adjustments for employees is the root of the strike.
The union, represented by the three General Secretaries: Ocheme Aba, Abdulrasaq Seidu, and Waheed Sikiru, wrote a letter addressed to NiMET’s Director General, Prof Charles Anoske, with the subject line ‘Re: Failure to Pay 45-Month Arrears of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment—14 days ultimatum.’
The ultimatum had been issued, and management responded with what seemed like a compromise: paying off the 45 months of arrears in installments.
They also expressed their dismay that the agency’s staff has been awaiting the palliative payments sanctioned by the Federal Government since October 2023. Furthermore, they highlighted that the 25-35 per cent salary increase has not been implemented for them, alongside NiMET’s exclusion from receiving Peculiar Allowances.
“Furthermore, our Unions through a joint letter dated 4, April 2024, did request for review of the outdated conditions of service. To date the management has deemed our Unions unfit for any response,” it read.
The letter further reads, “The above catalogue of woes, and others unmentioned confirm that NiMET Staff have been consigned to the lin bin of abject poverty – worse than any existing aviation establishment. In our considered view, it is inhuman on the part of management to be forborne with these conditions and irresponsible on the part of unions to tolerate this situation for this long.
“Therefore, this letter serves as notice to the management of NiMET that the staff members of the agency are, by a copy of this letter, directed to withdraw all services with effect from Monday, May 20, 2024, unless and until the outstanding 42 months arrears of consequential adjustment is fully liquidated.
“NIMET Salary structure is adapted to an appropriate Federal Government approved structure and all accruable payments liquidated, Management commences review of the outdated CoS with our Unions with a definite timeline for delivery and actualisation.”
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